Official Infiniti LE thread - early 2017, 60 kWh

[edatoakrun]

Better battery is worth the slight (?) delay, IMO.

I wouldn't want to wait for inductive charging myself, but I think Nissan is probably correct in its assessment that it will become a must have feature to compete in the luxury BEV market, as soon as it is introduced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Q_USu9BDc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Automotive News Europe
July 5, 2013 06:01 CET

LONDON – The head of Nissan global planning says Infiniti's electric car has been delayed because the premium automaker wants to incorporate more advanced charging and battery technology into the vehicle.

Andy Palmer denied speculation the delay indicated that Infiniti and parent Nissan were losing interest in electric cars. "Our heart is still in zero emissions," he told Automotive News Europe in a recent interview.

Infiniti previewed its future EV when it showed the LE concept sedan at last year's New York auto show. The car had been scheduled for launch in 2015. Palmer declined to put a new date on that launch, but said it was "not significantly" delayed.

"It's still within our mid-term plan," he said, without elaborating.

"There are some interesting advances in electric technology we hadn't anticipated when we showed the LE, which, by delaying a little bit, we can incorporate into the car," he said.

The rollout of wireless induction planned for charging the Infiniti EV is being hampered by the failure of a dominant system to emerge from the competing technologies on the market and from a lack of regulatory compliance, Palmer said.

Infiniti also plans to incorporate new lithium ion battery technology that Palmer said is so good that it alone justified the car's delay. Without going into detail, he said the better batteries would provide increase range at a lower price...

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=10&t=8449" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomT]

I think it is a silly and expensive waste myself, with little added utility...

I wouldn't want to wait for inductive charging myself, but I think Nissan is probably correct in its assessment that it will become a must have feature to compete in the luxury BEV market, as soon as it is introduced.

 

[edatoakrun]

I think it is a silly and expensive waste myself, with little added utility...

I wouldn't want to wait for inductive charging myself, but I think Nissan is probably correct in its assessment that it will become a must have feature to compete in the luxury BEV market, as soon as it is introduced.

I would make the same comment you did, about putting a battery pack larger than ~40 available kWh in a BEV, at current battery prices and energy densities.

But Tesla seems to be doing OK following that strategy.

People often make what seem to me to be bizarre "luxury" purchase decisions, and I don't expect the BEV market to be any exception.

 

[Boomer23]

I think it is a silly and expensive waste myself, with little added utility...

I wouldn't want to wait for inductive charging myself, but I think Nissan is probably correct in its assessment that it will become a must have feature to compete in the luxury BEV market, as soon as it is introduced.

I agree with Tom, but luxury car makers are always looking for features that are exclusive to their brand so as to differentiate themselves from competitors. I'm guessing that some market analysts have concluded that inductive charging may remove the "chore" of plugging in from some luxury buyers' lists of objections to owning an EV. Add the self-positioning feature for placement of the car over the induction pad, and you add a "Wow" factor.

Seems stupid to those of us who already find it easy to live with an EV, and who want the best energy efficiency, but Infiniti may see inductive as a way to appeal to an untapped potential market segment.

 

[jhm614]

I would make the same comment you did, about putting a battery pack larger than ~40 available kWh in a BEV, at current battery prices and energy densities.

But Tesla seems to be doing OK following that strategy.

I think Tesla is exactly why the Infiniti LE was put on hold -- the LE's price vs. range ratio was going to killed by Tesla's. Or maybe the LE's MSRP was going to be too close to the Tesla's.

Either way, the FUD play of "New batteries just around the corner, so it is better to wait" seems strange to me -- Infinit's parent company is already selling a product based on the current batteries and are catching some flack for those batteries' performance. Now this guy is saying "Better to wait". Does that mean it would better to wait on the Leaf as well, since they are using the same tech?

And the inductive charging thing is just silly -- Tesla is proving that people will spend serious bucks for luxury cars without it.

 

[edatoakrun]

="Boomer23"
...luxury car makers are always looking for features that are exclusive to their brand so as to differentiate themselves from competitors. I'm guessing that some market analysts have concluded that inductive charging may remove the "chore" of plugging in from some luxury buyers' lists of objections to owning an EV. Add the self-positioning feature for placement of the car over the induction pad, and you add a "Wow" factor.

Seems stupid to those of us who already find it easy to live with an EV, and who want the best energy efficiency, but Infiniti may see inductive as a way to appeal to an untapped potential market segment.

I certainly think inductive charging is a less stupid feature than many that have found their way into production "luxury" cars, for example:

http://www.edmunds.com/tesla/model-s/2013/long-term-road-test/2013-tesla-model-s-hit-and-miss-door-handles.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the real payoff for inductive charging will come when combined with self-driving technology.

The first "luxury" BEV that will allow the grand entrance, dropping it's "driver" off at the front door (The luxury BEV's own, or at the front door of the party the BEV owner is attempting to impress) then continuing to the nearest inductive charge/park space to "plug itself in", will probably result in dominance of the "luxury" vehicle market.

 

[TomT]

Actually, I WOULD pay for the bigger pack! :lol:

I think it is a silly and expensive waste myself, with little added utility...

I wouldn't want to wait for inductive charging myself, but I think Nissan is probably correct in its assessment that it will become a must have feature to compete in the luxury BEV market, as soon as it is introduced.

I would make the same comment you did, about putting a battery pack larger than ~40 available kWh in a BEV, at current battery prices and energy densities.
But Tesla seems to be doing OK following that strategy. People often make what seem to me to be bizarre "luxury" purchase decisions, and I don't expect the BEV market to be any exception.

 

[TomT]

Heck, my Roombas can already do that! :lol:

...then continuing to the nearest inductive charge/park space to "plug itself in", will probably result in dominance of the "luxury" vehicle market.

 

[edatoakrun]

="TomT"

Actually, I WOULD pay for the bigger pack! :lol:

Why don't you then?

Something about the Tesla S, other than the price, that you object to?

 

[DanCar]

Seems stupid to those of us who already find it easy to live with an EV, and who want the best energy efficiency, but Infiniti may see inductive as a way to appeal to an untapped potential market segment.

I don't care about energy efficiency. I do care about not worrying about range, so I'll pay extra for it. I don't have $80K to pay for a Tesla, but I would pay 10%-30% more for a leaf with that much extra range.

 

[TomT]

Nope, I love Tesla and one likely WILL be my next EV when my lease is up - be it new or used... I ideally would like something smaller, however... Without substantially increased range and either temperature immune battery chemistry or a TMS, it certainly will not be another Nissan...

Actually, I WOULD pay for the bigger pack! :lol:

Why don't you then? Something about the Tesla S, other than the price, that you object to?

 

[DeaneG]

For me, the Tesla S is too large to be a good daily driver but has ideal range. If Tesla is able to produce a 20% smaller vehicle in a few years as Mr. Musk has stated, Nissan will have a hard time holding onto their market share, at least from my demographic segment, if they stay with their current battery technology.

 

[Sublime]

Either way, the FUD play of "New batteries just around the corner, so it is better to wait" seems strange to me -- Infinit's parent company is already selling a product based on the current batteries and are catching some flack for those batteries' performance. Now this guy is saying "Better to wait". Does that mean it would better to wait on the Leaf as well, since they are using the same tech?

That is really strange to me too. When Toyota or GM do it, it makes sense. They throw out that line of better tech "right around the corner" and someone considering a LEAF maybe buys a Prius instead, fearing they'll be buying obsolete tech. (Which is funny logic since, if 300 mile affordable EVs are around the corner, owning an ICE you need to unload would be even harder).

However when Infiniti does it, they're really only potentially stifling Nissan sales, with no gains of their own. Unless they are diluted enough to think that someone shopping a Tesla would hear this news and pick up a G37 instead

 

[evnow]

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/08/22/infiniti-boss-de-nysschen-evs-absolutely-coming-just-not-now/#continued" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Infiniti boss De Nysschen: EVs 'absolutely' coming, just not right away

Still, we were curious: will we see the first production Infiniti electric vehicle in the next three years? "I think that would be a logical time frame," he replied.

So, we are looking at 2016. Infiniti LE needs to have 200 mile range to compete with Gen 3 Tesla - or they might as well not make it.

 

[DanCar]

So, we are looking at 2016. Infiniti LE needs to have 200 mile range to compete with Gen 3 Tesla - or they might as well not make it.

Since all future cars will be electric, infiniti will compete or go out of business. I think other car companies are going to be hurting more than Nissan. Tesla has indicated an interest in licensing their technology.

 

[evnow]

Since all future cars will be electric, infiniti will compete or go out of business.

But that "future" is not 2017. It might be 2027, though.

One interesting aspect of Tesla talking about Model E/Gen3 is that competitors have a clear target - $35k, 200 miles, 2017.

 

[TonyWilliams]

One interesting aspect of Tesla talking about Model E/Gen3 is that competitors have a clear target - $35k, 200 miles, 2017.

And they have a high expectation that Tesla will ABSOLUTELY deliver the goods.

 

[ydnas7]

One interesting aspect of Tesla talking about Model E/Gen3 is that competitors have a clear target - $35k, 200 miles, 2017.

And they have a high expectation that Tesla will ABSOLUTELY deliver the goods.

but only for those quick to finalise their order, the rest can get a price rise.
and if SC are far more deployed, perhaps the $35k price is for a 150mile model that gets quietly discontinued.

look out for the performance version

 

[evnow]

Musk was sure about the 200 mile. Supercharger network is based on that - so they will stick to that. $35k & 2017 are I think negotiable. Afterall $35K in 2013 would be a bit higher in 2017 (or 2018 or 2019).

 

[DanCar]

Musk was sure about the 200 mile. Supercharger network is based on that - so they will stick to that. $35k & 2017 are I think negotiable. Afterall $35K in 2013 would be a bit higher in 2017 (or 2018 or 2019).

That doesn't mean there won't be other range and price options . I'm sure there will be per old leaked Tesla spreadsheet on bluestar. 160 range was one of the options.